


The Exception of Tomorrow || Minsung

by FromMyLibrary



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Han Jisung | Han & Lee Felix are Best Friends, Han Jisung | Han is a Sweetheart, Insomniac Bang Chan, M/M, Parkour, Sad Minho, Sad with a Happy Ending, changbin is a bartender, i just really like Minsung, jisung and felix cant do parkour, oh my god theres a parkour tag, supportive hyunjin, what the hell is in that tag?????, woojin has braincells
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:20:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FromMyLibrary/pseuds/FromMyLibrary
Summary: A (non-famous) minsung fic that's a little sad but entirely hopeful. Fluffy and angsty. Featuring the rest of skz because the boys stay together always.Minho wonders what it’s like after... in the guilt and the loneliness and the longing. And then he meets Han Jisung.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Kim Woojin, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 9
Kudos: 72





	1. A Feeling

Minho walked inside. His coat hung by the door, the frost of the night still clinging to it, and shoes discarded below, icy patches melting onto the floor. It was so quiet now, whenever he came home. It hardly felt like home anymore. The lights remained off as he tiredly shuffled to the bedroom, shrinking off his hat and tossing it aside.

It wasn't so easy to look at the bed, the indentation which had been left there, and not see the body that had made it, rolling around laughing as the sheets tangled further with the legs, a haphazard mess of boy and blanket. The empty curve of the mattress seemed to still be weighed down in the absence, a piece of life still slumbering silently there, nestled inside against the lights drifting in through the curtain. Everything still felt like him, like his sleepily weighted eyelids at 1 am and his disgruntled groans at 8. The walls screamed his name like they somehow knew he was missing. And the bed, it sat there cold, steeped in memories which were already too hard to forget. 

Minho grabbed a pillow from it, sliding it across the surface slowly hesitant to disrupt the frozen sanctuary, and sank onto the floor beside it, parallel with the past days spent inside a comforter and a press of arms. It felt cold there too.

He woke up stiff, bleary eyed, and hollow. Just as he had woken up yesterday and just as he suspected to for the foreseeable future. It was the same every time: a compulsion to turn to his side and reach out to... but of course, there was nothing there. He lay quietly staring at the expanse of wooden planks before him. The words he dared not speak clung to his tongue like a vicious poison, seeping into his throat and constricting his breath. 'It would get easier' they said. It never got easier.

His stomach growled, low and deep, insisting on his continued involvement in sustaining it. Minho's muscles strained as he stood from the floor, not bothering to look back at the room as he left. The bathroom lit flickered on slowly as he stood in front of the mirror. Met with dark circles and growing lines of a frown around his mouth, he stared. It was strange to see this face in front of him, it had been such an unfamiliar site at first, the longing which feel from his stare and weighed down his shoulders. The water was cold on his face as he washed it, jolting him more awake. He reached for the cup which held the toothbrushes... He stopped himself. Sometimes, it was the little things that he forgot. 

One toothbrush.

The kitchen cabinets were barren, just like the closets now sat. He went to the door, pulled on his still chilled coat and his still wet boots, and left. Closing the door, he reached into his pocket for the keys and found his phone as well. There were missed calls from his friend, a couple messages from others, ones he once knew well but hardly enough anymore to call them a friend. He groaned. It was still Tuesday night.

He slipped it back inside, thundering down the staircase and into the busy street below. The neon light stung his eyes. He reflexively threw a hand up to block the glare. The city bustled around him: so vibrant and so alive.

He walked to the convenience store at the end of the neighbourhood slipping through streams of laughing, smiling people and wondering why he couldn't have that back. He missed it. The feeling and the person which used to make him feel that way. His shoulder bumped someone.

"Excuse me," Minho muttered under his breathe, burrowing into his jacket.

The man looked up and scoffed.

"Junkie," he mumbled walking away.

Junkie? He supposed he did look like one. He would have tried it if it had been any help but there was no cure for right now. There never would be.   
After stumbling around the store for over fifteen minutes, washed into the faint bubbly music in the background, he purchased his food and left. Bag slung over his arm and hands shoved into his coat, he began the trek back. And then he heard it.

So soft.

It sounded... beautiful.

He looked up and saw a karaoke bar to his right across the street. The sign lit the street with faint green and orange colours. But the sound was what drew him to dash across the road. Pressing up next the windows where it drifted from he listened to the voice flow through words, such familiar words. It eased him into a memory he had all but forgotten, gentle hands and feather kisses. Minho listened for another second before impulsively slipping inside to hear it better. That song too, it had been his favourite song. Minho never liked it until he had shown him, giggling and singing along clumsily. And then it became Minho's favourite as well.

Except now, it sounded like an angel was singing it. Minho carefully opened the door in front of him and gazed inside, compelled by the desire to just hear that song one last time.

The boy in front of him turned around and smiled, a bright and blinding smile full of gums and teeth. His blonde hair hang in front his eyes like a messy curtain. He continued singing, facing the machine again as Minho moved to sit next to the door. The boy persisted until the end of the song, smooth and delicate voice drifting to Minho and before he knew it, his eyes spilled fat tears down his cheeks.

The boy approached him slowly after the song had finished.

"Hey, I saw you listening from outside. People do that sometimes. No one's ever come in before though," he laughed and it sounded just as beautiful as when he sang, melodic and emotional. "Didn't know my voice was that good," he teased leaning into Minho's space. 

Minho looked up with teary eyes and a trembling lip, clearly distressed. The boy's face immediately fell.

"Oh my god, you're actually crying," he gasped. "I'm so sorry. I didn't even think – oh my god and I was flirting with you. You can't say stuff like that. I'm such an idiot," he rambled sitting down next to the other. "Are you okay?"

"No," he whispered back in a small voice.

"God and you're probably thinking, 'Wow what a douche, walking up to crying strangers and making them uncomfortable'. I promise I'm not usually like this." The boy ran his hands over his face. "And now I'm probably just annoying you when I should have just apologized and left and-"

"Hey," Minho interrupted. "It's okay."

"I made you cry."

"Not on purpose," he tried smiling. "At least I hope not."

"No, definitely not on purpose."

The boy returned the grin, although his held more life in it. It looked like his face was only made to smile brightly. Minho couldn't even picture a frown on it.

"So, ah. Do you want to talk about it?" he asked nervously shifting his weight about.

"Not really."

"Oh. That's okay," he sounded defeated.

"Can we talk about something else?" Minho asked and the other immediately perked up.

"Yeah. Yes. Of course. I'm Jisung," he smiled, holding out his hand.

"Minho," he responded grabbing it. 

"Nice to meet you, Minho. I go to the university nearby. That's why I'm here. Study break. Friend break..." he stopped to think, and the scrunch in his brow nearly took Minho's breathe away. "Life break."

"I'm sorry to interrupt you then."

"No!" Jisung quickly responded waving his hands in the air. "Don't say sorry to me! I already made you cry. You're not the one that has to feel bad."

"Your voice..." he started.

"Hmmm?"

"It's really nice."

Jisung's smile returned. "Thanks."

"- Hyung."

"What?"

"You said you're in school. I graduated. I'm your hyung then, aren't I?."

"Ah yes! Of course..." he paused, "hyung."

They ended up talking for a while into the night before Jisung checked his phone and realized he had an early class the next morning. They exchanged one numbers on ratty napkins, Jisung's scrawled hand-writing barely discernible which made Minho laugh. A warm feeling bubbled in his chest. 

They parted ways, Jisung walking down the alley towards the school and Minho deciding to grab a cab in the cold night. When he got home and reached in his pocket, he found no napkin. Sighing, he realized it must have slipped out in the taxi. He feel asleep easier tonight than he had all the others, a pretty lullaby coaxing him to sleep.


	2. A Friend

The sink was cold against his skin, the early morning chill on the metal making it harsh on his skin as he sterilized the medical instruments. Most of the animals inside were sleeping, one of the cats meowing quietly to be pet. Minho smiled at her from the sink and promised he'd come over in a second. It had taken about twenty minutes to actually find his scrubs this morning, but he was still the second one in the office that morning, humming away softly as he cleaned and prepared the backroom, occasion breaks to indulge the animals.

While he was sweeping the floor, the distant noise of the front door closing caught his attention. There was a mumbled exchange between the newcomer and Yeji, who was running the front desk. He heard a bit of familiar laughter before it abruptly stopped and thunderous footsteps made their way toward him. Moments later a body haphazardly flung itself through the door to the backroom.

"You haven't come to work in like a 2 months, and I haven't seen you in about 1 and you're just gonna show up without telling me?!"

Minho kept sweeping the floor, gaze down and shoulders hunched.

"Good morning to you too, Hyung."

He walked the dust-pan over to the trash, lifting the lid slowly and carefully dumping the excess hair and whatnot in.

"Minho."

He lifted his head and made eye contact with the boy.

"Are you even supposed to be here?" the voice softened.

"I needed to do something."

"But has it been long enough? I mean do you need more time to-"

"To what, Hyunjin?"

"I don't know... get better," he responded, sounding confused and sad, worry dripping from his voice.

Minho felt bad. The other had such a large capacity for empathy that it must have killed him to wait for Minho to come back and reach out. He had been away for too long.

"I think this is my better."

Hyunjin sighed and looked at him.

"I just don't want you rushing it."

"It's been two months, Jinnie."

"I know... I missed my friend," he smiled.

"I missed you too. Now come help me."

Hyunjin started backed away.

"Where are you going?" Minho asked. "Help me loser."

"I'm actually on non-clinical duty today, so bye," he laughed skipping through the doorway with a little wave of his hand.

"You suck!" Minho called out after him with a little laugh, and life felt a little bit better.

He hadn't remember how healing an old friend could be. He hadn't thought about how his life had been continuing to run itself without him in it: how the vet ran everyday regardless of his presence, how his friends had their own lives and their own worries.

He spent most of the day doing routine monitoring of the animals in the back, making extra sure to give attention to the loud cat which seemed have sensed his sadness when he walked in and purred whenever he came near. He gave medications, cleaned teeth, trimmed nails, and unpacked an order of supplies. Hyunjin ran in at lunch and insisted he treat him to his first meal back which they took without their co-workers because Hyunjin 'needed his privileged best friend time'. They got off late due to an emergency appointment of someone dog's being stung by a bee, but the reaction swelled enough to send them home.

"Lucky," Minho teased under his breath watching the younger stroll the couple of blocks home before shuffling toward his train station.

He wandered the park for a bit on his way home, seeping in the feeling of comfort he got from today and scared to loose it when he got back. He finally wandered home when it started to drizzle, misty raindrops falling on his head. What he expected when he entered the hallway to his own flat was not to find a strange man, covered in an oversized black hoodies and baseball hat, crouched in front of his neighbour's door with a bobby pin in the lock.

"What are you doing?"

The boy flinched, clearly startled, and fell over, dropping the two bobby pins onto the floor with a clatter before looking up to Minho and smiling sheepishly.

"This is not how I wanted to meet you."

"And who are you?"

"Oh," he started, standing up and holding out his hand. "I'm Bang Chan. I'm your neighbour."

Minho raised his eyebrow.

"I swear I'm not breaking in. Look I, uh, kind of locked myself out."

"Kind of?"

"I did. I did lock myself out," Chan corrected. "But hey, I get to see you! So it's not all bad. I think I met you when I first moved in..."

Minho racked his brain, trying to recall ever meeting the other.

"Honestly, I was not expecting you to remember me at all," the boy continued. "I knew your boyfriend quite well. I haven't seen him a while though. I was meaning to ask about that. Did you guys break up?"

"Yeah something like that," Minho airily responded.

"Oh. I'm sorry, dude."

"It's ok," Minho waved him off. "Hey, do you want me to call someone for you? Or do you want to borrow my phone maybe?"

"Yes!" Chan's eyes lit up. "That'd be great! I left my phone inside. Hence the-" he gestured vaguely toward the door.

"Here," Minho handed him the phone.

Once Chan had hung up, he handed the phone back to Minho.

"So why are you even awake right now?"

"Me?" Minho asked caught off guard. "Why are you awake?"

"I'm a night owl... and an insomniac."

"Sounds fun."

"What about you though? No one's usually up late enough to witness my weird antics."

"I went on a walk after work. Clear my head, you know?"

"Ah yeah. I totally get that," Chan nodded thoughtfully.

"... so are you good?"

"Me? Oh yeah. My friend Woojin has a spare. He's coming over right now. He's probably going to yell at me for being up this late."

"At least you don't have to sleep in the hallway," Minho offered.

"You've never met Woojin," Chan countered, which seemed like a joke, but his face showed that it definitely was not.

Minho started backing away toward his own door.

"Well, hope he comes soon."

"It was nice to meet you!" Chan called out after him.

"Yeah. Sure," he muttered back.


	3. A Lesson

Ding!

Minho rolled over, stuffing his head into the space between his folded arms.

Ding!

He groaned.

Ding! Ding!

His head shot up in irritation looking toward his phone. The muffled bed head stuck up around him in a mane, flouncing as he crawled toward the charger.

Hyung~

Hyung!

Yah!

I thought you said you'd help me open the vet today :((

The last message had him on his feet, shrugging his barely awaken muscles into yesterday's jeans and hopping into the kitchen with a day old shirt still slung across his shoulders from sleep. He stuffed his feet into his shoes by the door, grabbing his backpack and propelled himself out of the apartment and directly into a large box. Stumbling over it, Minho barely caught his feet up, grabbing the wall to steady himself. He looked down at the 'package'. It was a cardboard box filled with a random assortment of snack food. He bent down cautiously to pick up some of the spilled power bars and saw a note sticking out of the box.

He chuckled realizing it was thanking him for 'not calling the police' and was signed from 'Chan's friend' which must have referred to the Woojin said boy had mentioned last night. He noticed Chan's number was written at the bottom of the note and pushed the paper into his pocket as soon as he realized he was, in fact, still late to meet Hyunjin.

On the last couple of stairs before he made it outside, he fumbled over his ankle, rolling it slightly and losing the grip he had on his phone, watching it fall the last couple of feet to the landing. He winced at the sudden pain, hobbling down to the ground floor and retrieving his phone, which thankfully seemed remarkably undamaged. He took the bus, grimacing the entire time at the pain shooting up his leg. In an attempt to elevate it he raised his ankle onto his knee, receiving some judgmental stares as he massaged it gently on the ride. By the time he hopped off, the pain had subsided, and he pushed it to the back of his priority list.

On his break he texted Chan a thank you for Woojin while playing tug of war with one particularly energetic puppy. His teeth were still small and could hardly grip onto the toy. Minho wrestled it away, barely shaking his hand about before it feel from the dog's mouth. He sent Chan a picture of the puppy which elicited more emojis than he ever hoped to see in a message and a barrage of incomprehensible key board smashes.

Hyunjin had given him the cold shoulder he showed up late, but now sat beside him, petting another sleeping dog who was curled into his lap like a baby.

"I know how you can make it up to me."

"Hmm?" Minho asked, waving the toy back and forth in front of the puppy's face.

"Walk me to my night lecture."

"Why?"

"Cause you broke your promise," Hyunjin teased sadly.

And that was how Minho found himself, two expensive university coffees in hand, walking toward a cafeteria table full of a slightly sleepy and wholly indulgent Hwang Hyunjin.

"You are officially forgiven," the boy smiled, raising the warm drink to his slightly red, wind nipped cheeks.

"All I had to do was buy it."

Hyunjin threw him a glare. "No. It's because I'm just such a forgiving person."

"That coffee cost 5 dollars."

The younger's eyes narrowed over the top of the cup as he slowly sipped from it before responding, "Maybe, I haven't forgiven you just yet."

Minho started laughing, throwing his head back slightly before catching sight of a flurry of blonde hair in his periphery. He immediately turned to look for the familiar floof, scanning the few students still milling around.

"You really shouldn't be the one laughing here, hyung," Hyunjin teased.

"Hyung?" he questioned as the older boy's eyes remain glued to the room, searching.

"Do you know a kid named Jisung?"

"Who?"

"Jisung? Slightly shorter than me, blonde, he should be around your age."

"Who are you talking about? Does he go to school here?"

"I think so?"

"Ok. Good start. What does he study?"

"I don't know."

"What made you ask?"

"Nothing..." he responded, letting the odd feeling of familiarly wash away as he turned back to Hyunjin.

"Oh hey, it's my roommate!" Hyunjin chirped excitedly waving to someone behind Minho's back. 

Hyunjin then pouted and put his hand down slowly, curling it into his lap. Minho eyed him curiously.

"He didn't see me." The poor boy slumped in his seat, pulling his sweater over his hands and placing them on the table bracketing his drink.

"He's on his way to the library I think."

"See. He's just busy," Minho coaxed.

"Yeah. I know," Hyunjin paused. "I just think I've been bothering him a little too much lately."

"What do you mean bothering him? You're roommates."

"I feel like he's ready to drop kick me for breathing too loudly. I keep asking him to do stuff with me. A certain someone stopped answering my calls so..."

Minho sighed, leaning forward onto the table. "I'm sorry. It was ... a really rough time for me."

"I miss him too."

And he hadn't ever really thought about it. Hadn't entertained the idea that everyone else in his life was hurting in the same way that he was and missing the same smile that he was.

"Hey," Hyunjin interrupted the silence. "Do you want to grab dinner tonight? Seungmin is in study mood and I don't like to eat alone. He's at the library like every night and he's younger than me! Why is he working so hard?!"

"I'm grabbing drinks with my neighbour tonight actually. I should probably start heading back."

"Hey! Look at you go!" Hyunjin smiled genuinely, lightly punching Minho's arm. "That should be fun!"

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. But what about you? Do you want to come?"

"No. I'm good. I'll just message the science kids. They've been wanting to do a get together for a while."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, of course. Go have fun!"

Minho stood, grabbing his bag from underneath the table. He adjusted his coat around his shoulder before the sliding the bag onto his back and looking back at Hyunjin, still seated with a slight sadness clinging to him.

"Are you free on Thursday?"

Hyunjin immediately beamed at him. "Yeah. Let's go out then. I feel like I haven't really gotten to catch up with you."

Minho reached over and ruffled the younger's hair earning a small grunted scoff before two hands pushed him away.

"Have fun, hyung."

He hopped the bus home, having agreed to meet Chan at a bar near their apartment complex. A dull pain resided in his ankle which he waved off. The address Chan gave him led to a small and dark building, a bit unsightly and plain on the outside but a strong sense of humble warmth through its doors. The walls were lined with old band posters and signatures on sun-faded pictures. The faint amber light made it look cosy and inviting. Minho wandered over to the bar, not having seen Chan anywhere yet, and plopped down on a stool, shrugging his backpack off to rest by his feet.

A shorter man sauntered over, an intimidating sharpness about his small, muscled figure.

"What can I get you?"

"Oh. I'm waiting for someone. Just give me a minute."

The man scanned him for a moment before smirking. "You're Minho."

"Are all bartenders telepathic or is it just you?"

The man laughed. "No. I'm a friend of Chan's. He told me you were coming. Name's Changbin," he said offering his hand across the bar counter.

"Nice to meet you."

"Chan said he's running late by the way. Just texted. Something about talking our friend out of attempting to scale a building. I don't know. Kid's crazy."

"Chan?"

"Well, I meant Han, but you know what, sure. Let's go with both."

A while later Chan rushed through the door, panting and frantic. His looked around the space before his eyes feel upon Minho and he ran over.

"I am so sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Changbin over here told me," Minho responded inclining his head toward the former.

"God," Chan sighed, shrugging off his coat. "Some of my friends are so weird, man."

"Like breaking into their own apartment weird?" Minho teased.

"Touche," Chan chuckled. "You know I should thank you in person for being so understanding the other night. You looked half dead yourself."

"Thanks. I get that a lot."

Chan gave him a suspicious look. "It was 2 am. What are you supposed to look like? A model?"

"Touche," Minho responded which earned another laugh from Chan.

The two feel into a comfortable banter, and Minho decided he quite liked the company of the other and that deciding to reintroduce himself to the world was going a lot better than he had expected.

"It's too bad about Daniel. I thought you guys made a cute couple. He stopped coming around though."

Minho stopped for a second, the nice feeling he had worked up, dissipating slightly. "Yeah."

"How have you been holding up? Living that single life?" Chan asked clapping him on the shoulder with a grin.

Minho smiled faintly for a moment, a light laugh bubbling up in his chest and pushing all the sadness out.

"I actually met this cute kid the other day."


	4. A Chance

Hyunjin had decided enough was enough. After watching the stumbling, the fumbling, and the limping that had occurred within his eyeline, and not even beginning to touch what he assumed happened without him there, he was of the utmost certainty that his friend would die of stubbornness if given the opportunity. It was getting to the point where the other would complain and lament so loudly that it was impossible to tune it out, which, of course, he attempted to do on many occasions.

"Minho, just go to the doctor!"

"No! I'm fine. I don't need to."

"You're not fine. You cant even walk!"

"I'm fine."

"You're not."

Minho rolled his eyes. He reached over and pushed the stop button on the handrail of the bus, shuffling his bag off his lap as he stood. The pain in his ankle had his face scrunching in discomfort as he put weight onto it, arm darting out to grab the seat back. His hand pressed down hard the plastic in an attempt to regain his footing. Hyunjin huffed as he leaned over to grab Minho's other arm and help.

"It's been 2 days. I'm at least making you get crutches," he said leading Minho down the aisle.

"No. Don't give me that look. We'll stop by the uni infirmary and steal some."

"But I don't-"

"It wasn't a suggestion," Hyunjin cut him off.

They slowly, and grumpily, made it to the medical offices at Hyunjin's university. One of the two nurses inside lit up as they walked in, a smile immediately stretching across her face.

"Minho! It's nice to see you."

She looked down at his feet, hurt ankle tucked up as he stood, half support by Hyunjin with his arm draped around the other's shoulder. She then frowned and the smiling face became oddly intimidating.

"Didn't I tell you to stop doing that."

"It's not even bad," Minho whined back at her.

Hyunjin laughed as he readjusted Minho's weight sitting on his back. The nurse tisked and motioned Hyunjin to drop Minho off at the cot nearby, where she rolled up his pant leg and began examining the joint.

"Are you still dancing?"

"No, not for a while now."

"How'd this happen then," she asked peeking up from his ankle.

"I fell down the stairs," he answered.

"Well, it's sprained. Judging by the swelling, I'd say you partially tore a ligament. You'll want to keep weight off of it for a couple weeks... at least two."

"Can you just give me crutches and let me go?"

"Minho!" Hyunjin chastised.

"What? It's not even torn?"

"Are you even listening?" he said amazed at his own friend's indifference.

"Young man," the nurse cut in. "Listen to your friend. It seems he's got a better judgment than you."

Hyunjin beamed proudly.

"Gosh, I'd thought I'd rid of you when you graduated," she chuckled. "The stubborn ones, they always end up crawling back."

The door swung open just then and two boys ran inside, panting slightly. One's hands were cupped around his face, blood seeping through the cracks between his finger and falling to stain the white shirt he wore. The second was frantically staring at him, fussing around as he guided the injured boy to an unoccupied cot.

Minho looked up as the springs squeaked and saw a familiar face.

"...Jisung?"

The bleeding boy's eyes shot over to where Minho sat, leg hoisted onto the cot, a pack of ice being laid over it by the nurse who was ignoring the two newcomers.

"Mmn-ooo?!"

His voice came out slightly muffled as his hands remained cupped around his nose to catch the dripping blood. Jisung looked utterly ridiculous: frazzled gaze, messy hair, bloodied hands, and dishevelled clothes.

"This is Jisung?" Hyunjin asked Minho, remembering the name from a few days prior. "Nice to meet you," he smiled at the injured boy.

Jisung nodded, gaze locked onto Minho before him. His friend approached the nurse as Minho and Jisung continued to awkwardly stare at each other.

"Hello again, ma'am," he said sheepishly, deep voice laced with shame.

"Felix," she responded monotonously, not looking up as she worked to wrap Minho's ankle securely.

"What happened this time?" she finally asked.

"Apparently, I'm bad at parkour," Jisung spoke up.

Minho barked out a loud laugh at the thought of the boy attempting to scale a building. His outburst drew the attention of Hyunjin, Felix, and the Nurse, the last of which gave him a disapproving glare before she walked over to assess Jisung.

"Hey, we're not laughing at you," Felix scolded Minho.

"No, I'm sorry. I just... can't imagine he'd be very good at it."

"Wait, hold on. Back up. How do you know Jisung?" Felix stepped in confused.

"Oh, we're old acquaintances," he smiled at Jisung, who was wincing and bickering with the nurse as she held Jisung's nose between her fingers.

"I'm Minho," he said holding out his hand to Felix.

"Oh, you're Minho!" Felix's eyes widened.

"I've been mentioned?" he teased eyeing Jisung whose nose was now plugged up with tissues.

Jisung sputtered out a string of unintelligible excuses.

"Wait, I think I know you," Hyunjin thought aloud looking at Felix. "Are you friend's with Seungmin?"

"Yeah! Seungminnie!" Felix yelled excitedly. "How do you know him?"

"I'm his roommate."

"Oh yeah! You were at his birthday thing. Hyunjin, right?"

The other nodded. "It's funny we met again in the infirmary."

Felix chuckled. "It's not that special. We're in here like every other weekend."

"Oh, how I wish you weren't," the nurse sighed, moving away to the supplies cupboard on the far wall.

"Minho is a reoccurring customer too," Hyunjin taunted.

"I thought you said you graduated?" Jisung asked with a tilt of his head.

"Only just last year. Faye knows me."

"You were on the dance team!" Felix chirped pointing at Minho.

"Hey, so was I," Hyunjin pouted.

"I just joined it this year. I haven't seen you at practice though?"

"Work," Hyunjin sighed.

"You should stop by sometime. Both of you. Well, wait," he paused. "Maybe not Minho right now."

"You dance?" Jisung asked Minho quietly as Hyunjin and Felix continued to talk.

"Yeah. I did."

"That's really cool. I want to see it.... when you get better."

Minho smiled. "I'd love to show you... when I get better."

"Okay," the nurse came back cradling some things in her arms.

"You," she pointed at Minho, "stay off that ankle for two weeks, use the crutches. No exceptions. If it still hurts after that, come see me."

She handed the crutches to Minho before placing a bottle of pills next to Jisung on his cot. 

"And you," she said turning to Jisung. "It's not broken, thank god. I'll need to clean up the outside and you best take the pain medication I give you twice a day. You'll need it. Some of the bone is bruised quite badly."

"And no more parkour," she added sternly after a second, causing Felix and Jisung to hang their heads and gaze down at the floor.

"No! The blood! Tilt back. Back."

Hyunjin helped Minho onto the crutches. "Okay, let me grab my book and I'll meet you at the bus so we can finally go get lunch."

"Bye, Jisung," Minho waved at the younger, as the two exited the room.

Jisung's head was tilted awkwardly back, nose parallel to the ceiling. His eyes frantically attempted to glance over at Minho.

"Wait, hyung, why didn't you-" he asked quickly as the door swung shut. "... text me?" he asked the empty doorway.

"What?" Felix responded.

"He didn't text me. Now my nose is broken, and I don't have his number," he huffed, slapping the cots with his hands in frustration.

"Oh yeah, wait. That was sad boy."

Jisung grumbled.

"Huh?"

"I said don't call him sad boy."

Felix let out a short laugh in response before noticing the somber expression on the other's face. "It's fine I'll ask Seungmin to ask Hyunjin for it."

The nurse reached over and started to dab antiseptic on Jisung's cut nose earning a yowl for the latter.

"Oh, hold still."


	5. A Party

"We're going out tonight," Hyunjin announced as Minho opened his door at 8 pm finding the other, dressed too well for a Thursday night, on his doorstep.

"No, we're not," he answered, at a perfectly antisocial level for a Thursday night.

"Yes, we are," Hyunjin argued, pushing his way inside the elder's apartment and depositing himself onto Minho's couch, spin slipping into a gentle curve as he draped himself over the cushions. "I got invited by Seungmin who got invited by Felix because it's someone's birthday."

"So?"

"So, who is Felix friends with?"

"Seungmin?"

"Oh my god, you idiot. It's Jisung."

"Ji- ohhhh!"

Hyunjin gestured vaguely in an indescribable emotion between annoyance and pride.

"I'm still not going."

Hyunjin just laughed. "You don't have a choice.

"Yeah, I do. And my choice is to not go."

"I'll cry."

"That doesn't work on me."

Hyunjin pouted and began to fill his eyes with tears, a look of heartbreak immediately passing over his features on command.

"God dammit!" Minho groaned. "I'll go get dressed."

"Yay!" the other clapped, falling back to the sofa.

Immediately upon entering the bar, Hyunjin was whisked away by Seungmin and a small smiling boy who Hyunjin all but cooed over.

"Why did I even come?" 

Minho glanced around before he found a friendly face and walked over to Chan and Changbin who were sitting with three other boys he didn't know.

"Minho, hey!" Changbin called out seeing the other walking toward them. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"Who's birthday is it anyways?"

"It's mine," Chan laughed, throwing his hand up, the boy on his right reaching up to affectionately pat his cheek with the biggest smile stretched across his face Minho thought it might snap.

"Well, happy birthday," he added awkwardly.

"Come. Sit down," Chan offered scootching over.

"This is Woojin as you know," he said pointing to the boy beside him, "and that's BamBam, Wooyoung, and Channie," he motioned to the three engrossed in a conversation with Changbin.

"Nice to see you, Minho," Woojin smiled.

Wooyoung looked over and nodded at him. Minho nodded back at him as he sat down, feeling marginally out of place.

"Did Hyunjin bring you?" Chan asked. "I wasn't sure whether to invite you or not. I didn't know if you'd be up for it."

"Yeah he did. But some gremlins stole in the second we walked in."

"Ha, he's with Seungmin and Jeongin. I thought I saw them talking to the others..." he trailed off eyeing the throng of bodies moving around the dancefloor.

"Ah, there he is," Chan eventually said, pointing to a group of five dancing boys.

Minho followed his gaze and immediately feel upon one face in particular, eyes locking with his and mouth falling open. Said boy then thundered through the bar and right up to their table directly in front of Minho.

"Oh my god, It's you again!" Jisung all but screamed, pointing at Minho. "Chan, how did you find him?! I haven't seen him in like 2 weeks!" he nearly leapt over the table in unbridled excitement before turning around to look at Minho with a realization, face falling and groan emitting from his pouting lips. "You can't believe how many times I've embarrassed myself in front of him."

"Oh, I think I can," Chan responded.

"He lives across the hall from me," Minho answered Jisung.

"But I'm at Chan's all the time. How come we've never met before?"

"Even I've met him," Changbin added in.

"What?!" Jisung squawked. "Both of you have been running around with this man and neither of you thought to tell me!"

"I only met him a couple days ago," Woojin laughed trying to placate and then paused, a realization dawning itself. "Wait, how do you know each other?"

Minho and Jisung shared a look and both responded "Karaoke" with a hesitant, awkward confession.

Chan's eyes immediately widened. "You're karaoke boy?!" he screamed excitedly.

"I am?"

"Hyung, stop please," Jisung whined. "Haven't I been embarrassed enough?"

"Never," Chan responded leaning closer to Minho. "You know when Jisung told me he was in love with a zombie, I should have known he meant you."

"Oh my god, no I didn't say that." Jisung corrected, clearly flustered and writhing himself about in protest. "I said I met a cute zombie!"

"You think I'm cute?" Minho grinned.

"A cute zombie," Chan winked.

"I need better friends," Jisung announced, extracting himself from the group and sauntering over to where Felix and Hyunjin were... dancing? Minho assumed it was dancing but it really looked like sloppy hip thrusts and overenthusiastic spins. Seungmin looked annoyed and the other boy, Jeongin, looked utterly traumatized.

"He's just shy," Chan muttered.

"Shy?!"

"Yeah, he's a good kid. Normally not that crazy until you get to know him."

"The first time I ever met him, I broke into his karaoke room and he made me cry!"

"What?!"

"Didn't he tell you?" Minho asked equally as confused as Chan.

"He said he ran into you..."

Changbin sat on the side and continually laughed during their entire exchange. "What a little brat."

Felix, Seungmin, Jeongin, and Jisung then came back from the dance floor, holding onto a very drunk Hyunjin who was, somehow, still attempting to dance without full control of any of his limbs.

"Jinnie is it time to go home?' Minho asked the boy softly, standing up.

"No, no. I'm fine."

Minho glared at him unconvinced.

"I'll take him home. Don't worry," Seungmin inserted causing Hyunjin to beam happily up at him.

"Are you sure?' Minho asked him.

'Yeah, I don't mind. I wanted to get some rest anyway. You stay."

"Yeah stay!" Hyunjin yelled. "Have fun with squirrel boy!"

"Squirrel boy?" Minho asked.

"Yeah, the cute one," Hyunjin rambled, pointing at Jisung. "The one you're in love with. He looks like a little fluffy squirrel."

"Okay time to go," Felix interrupted with an awkward laugh. "As much as I love making fun of Jisung, we need to get you home."

"Happy Birthday, hyung!" Jeongin smiled brightly, throwing his arms around the birthday boy.

"Thanks kid," Chan smiled, ruffling his hair.

"Text me we you guys are in," Minho yelled out at Hyunjin as they walked away.

"I look like a squirrel?" Jisung murmured in question to himself quietly.

"A cute squirrel," Chan winked.

"Nope, we're not doing that again. I'm getting drinks."

"Thanks Minho!" Woojin called out, Jisung still muttering about his new identity, adorably confused.

The bar was completely packed, and it took three entire song for him to be served. When he returned Woojin, Channie, BamBam, and Wooyoung were gone having left due to early morning class or work the next day. Which is why he now found himself holding 8 drinks for a table of 4 people: one of which apparently didn't drink. Chan smirked at Minho and Changbin.

"Okay boys, who's gonna beat me?" he asked downing a vodka lemonade in one go.

Changbin laughed and passed another over to him, grabbing his own, clinking it with Chan's refill, and racing the other to finish it.

Jisung looked over at Minho and winked before pushing a drink over to the other. "Don't you feeling left out," he smiled.

That was how Minho, an hour later, Minho and Chan found themselves rolling on the booth plastered off their minds and giggling about something neither of the two remember. Changbin had drunk them both under the table and was now amusedly watching with a painfully sober Jisung.

"I'm gonna let Chan sleep at my place tonight. Can you take Minho home?"

"He's just across the hall from Chan's place right?"  
"Yeah. I think so."

"Noooo," Chan whined. "You can't take my new best friend away now!"

"Yeah," Minho added, wrapping his armed around the other. "We're best friends now. You cant separate us. It's mean."

"Yeah. Don't be mean," Chan joined, hugging back.

Changbin sighed and heaved Chan up, who continued to whine and protest.

"I am too drunk for this," he mumbled, all but carrying Chan on his shoulder. "Will you be alright with him?" he nodded to Minho who looked like he had completely forgotten about the loss of his friend in favour of humming along to the music in the background.

Jisung smiled, and through much coaxing (an allowance for Minho to pet his hair, a promise of chocolate when they got home, and a reluctant agreement that yes he did look like a squirrel) and a long journey (a subway filled with distracting people, a minor detour to listen to a man on the street with a guitar, and a lumbering up the stairs on Minho's bad ankle), finally pushed Minho through the door of his apartment.

He smiled endearingly at Minho's head as he rested it on Jisung's shoulder.

"I'm sleepy, Sungie," he mumbled and Jisung's heart almost stopped.

"Okay, let's get you to bed then."

"You're so smart, Sungie. You're like a genius."

Jisung just laughed and walked him into the bedroom, propping him against the wall as he opened the door.

"Is Jinnie home safe?"

"Yeah, Felix texted me."

Minho nodded. "That's good."

"Okay, come on big guy, time for bed," Jisung coaxed as he tried to lower Minho onto his mattress.

"No," he slurred. "Don't sleep there.'

"What do you mean you don't sleep in your own bed? How drunk are you?" Jisung paused to heft Minho's weight up further onto his arm. "...or are you insinuating something?" he laughed. 

"It's too hard," he said depositing himself on the ground slowly. "Too empty without him."

His voice floated over the space, now quiet on the precipice of sleep. Jisung froze. He simply stood and watched as Minho pulled a pillow from underneath, feeling like a broken-hearted kid for the first time in a while.

"Have you ever been someplace so silent its deafening?" Minho mumbled, closing his eyes.

"Yeah..." Jisung muttered in thought looking one last time at Minho's crumpled figure before him. "Yeah I think I have," he finally answered, walking away and closing the door without a goodbye.


	6. A Kiss

"Minho, do you want to come?"

He looked over from where his thoughts had wandered off, mind snapped back to the table he was sitting at and looking for seeking the voice out of the crowd of boys around him. They had all begun to spend more time together after discovering the hoard of connections they all shared. He found Hyunjin nestled between Jeongjin and Seungmin on the other side.

"Minho?" the boy asked again at the lack of response.

"Oh um, no. It's alright," he responded with a dismissal shake of his head. "I should stop by the flower shop anyway."

Minho didn't fail to notice the abrupt halt to Jisung's laugh. He looked over at the other, Felix and Changbin still adamantly talking while Jisung's eyes met his. Chan and Woojin talked softly in the background, another addition to the gentle lull of the voices of their friends while Minho and Jisung simply looked at each other.

"Oh right. I forgot that was today," Hyunjin mused.

Minho simply nodded back at him.

"And what day is it?" Seungmin asked.

"Oh my god, it's not mother's day is it?" Felix asked in a panic, swivelling to Minho with fear in his eyes.

"No, it's just a birthday," Minho replied standing up and shrugging on his coat, causing Felix to sigh in relief.

"Whose birthday is it?' Jisung asked in a small voice.

Minho stared at him for a second before Hyunjin responded for him: "Just an old friend."

He waved goodbye at them awkwardly, Jisung offering him a wide grin as he left which he returned with a gentle upturn of his own lips. A chorus of goodbyes resounded around the table to which Minho mumbled a bye. Jisung's smile fell as soon as Minho was out of sight and he turned to Chan again.

"Is he dating someone?"

"No, I don't think so," Chan responded. "He's been single for like a month or two now."

"A month?"

"Or two."

"And you're sure they aren't together?"

Chan sighed. "Jisung look, I don't know."

"But he's buying them flowers... for their birthday," Jisung pressed.

"Yeah?"

"Oh God, I'm so stupid."

"Not that I disagree but why this time?"

"He's obviously still in love with that guy," Jisung squeaked throwing his hand out towards the door Minho had recently vacated.

"Listen, Ji, I don't really know. You should ask Hyunjin, he's a lot closer with him."

"No, I can't ask Hyunjin! It's embarrassing! I don't even like asking you."

"Like he hasn't already picked up on it," Chan muttered levelling Jisung with an annoyed look. "All I know is I haven't seen Daniel around for a while. Minho seems pretty beat up about it, but I think he likes you."

"Daniel?" Woojin's ears perked up and he leaned in. "Oh, Daniel. I loved him!"

Jisung groaned and slammed his head down on the table. His hair fanning out around him.

"He loved him," the poor boy grumbled.

"Jisung he probably just needs some time," Woojin tried to comfort.

"How long?" he asked, dragging his head up from the table with a pout. "I thought you said they broke up like a month ago!"

"Or two!" Chan butted in like it would somehow help.

Jisung glared him.

"Hey, your heart might be broken but that's still rude," Chan pouted.

And Jisung was pulled away from his worries and into a fight with Chan about the insensitivity of the elder which he chalked up to 'adulthood'. 'Adulthood' which he puts in air quotes every time he spoke it on account of refusing to acknowledge the constructs of being an adult and explain his concept at nauseum. Changbin, and surprisingly Jeongjin, helped him.

And then there was Minho: a quiet small figure, having sought, bought, and given flowers... beautiful pink roses with baby's breath in between all tired together with a white bow. They were wonderful: Daniel's favourite. It was hard to part, to leave the flowers untouched at the other's feet, but he did. And he didn't regret going to see him, he never did. It was the first birthday he spent without the other. But the day would always belong to him, whether or not he belonged to Minho.

That day, that afternoon, that night, he cried deep and wholly in his chest feeling a sense of missing and longing he had had almost grown to see as an extension of himself. He felt it gnaw at his heart, tearing the muscles apart and the tears kept falling from his eyes. Not from pain or regret, but the deepest pool of longing he had been trying not to drown in for the longest time. He missed his life. He missed his love. He missed him. It only became lonelier and lonelier to return home at the end of the day to the ghost of a happiness he once clung so close to his chest.

Minho's eyes lit up when he saw a beam of light emit from the side of the room. He walked over in the darkness, fumbling over shoes and a chair to find his phone on the end of the coffee table. 

Are you busy? the text said.

He laughed. Snotty and pathetically, he laughed.

It's 2 am he responded.

I know you have trouble sleeping... Come outside.

He bundled himself tightly in his jacket and grabbed two scarves before dashing out the apartment and outside.

Jisung spun around at the noise of the door closing. His cheeks burned a flush red in the cold but nothing, not ever a single thing, had kept that boy from smiling. He found it easier to smile around him.

Minho walked up and put one of the scarves on the younger, securely tucking around his neck with delicate fingers.

"I knew you wouldn't have one," Minho whispered.

"And I knew you'd be awake," he smiled back.

"And what are we doing?"

Jisung's eyes flashed warmly. "Stargazing."

"Why?"

"Do we need a reason?"

Minho looked at him questioningly but followed him anyway. After a minute or so of walking, Jisung led Minho into a park where he pulled the other towards the open grass. He sat down and patted the ground next to him.

"You seemed sad today..." Jisung whispered once they had laid down, side by side, in the dark.

"I was," he whispered back.

"I'm sorry," and Mingo could almost see the pout on his face in his mind.

"No, it's okay. I'm getting better at being sad."

Jisung reached his hand over and felt for Minho's in the grass before grasping it firmly.

"You know you don't have to be sad alone," he said. "I can be sad with you."

Minho smiled to himself, a warm and genuine smile breaking out on his face in the cold night air.

"Will you sing to me, Jisungie?"

"Me?" the boy sputtered.

"Yeah, I love your voice."

"Are you sure?"

Minho squeezed his hand and the younger got the message.

"Okay," he relented sitting up with a rustle. "Any song?"

"No," Minho muttered, rolling to lay on his side facing Jisung. "Just sing."

When he started, Minho was immediately flooded with a warm soft feeling of nostalgia, his mind reeling back to the moment he first heard Jisung's voice on the street. It was odd to think how close they had gotten in the past couple weeks. His fingers still squeezed Jisung's with a strength he wasn't aware of until now, but he didn't let go. It felt nice and warm and right. Minho sat up, tugging Jisung's arm toward him. The others voice drifted into silence as he searched for Minho's face in the darkness whose hand came to find his cheek.

"Hyung?" he questioned before Minho leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

Minho's hand, still holding Jisung's, pulled the boy forward onto his lap before his arms encircled the younger in a crushing hug as if he was afraid Jisung might fade away. He held him so tenderly and so strong that Jisung took a second to remember just where he was. And when he did, he kissed back like his life depended on it. And the two boys in the middle of the field doused in darkness made the stars blush.


	7. A Fight

The night sunk in and he blinked.

His mind flooded with memories and the cold seeped into his bones. Everything seemed impossibly fragile and dark and all of a sudden Minho realized he was holding a body, a warm, living breathing body. He forgot for a second, but when he opened his eyes-

It was Jisung. His lips were moving as he spoke and he looked so impossibly happy: a beaming smile stretching across his face, a light blush dusting his cheeks, his lips swollen, and hair ruffled. He was so beautiful. But he was...

"Minho?"

"Im sorry, what did you say?"

"I really like you."

"I'm sorry," Minho breathed out, pulling his hands away. "I need a second."

Jisung's smile feel.

"I can't do this," Minho chocked out softly, staring to stand.

"What's wrong?"

"I just can't."

Jisung stood next to him swiftly. "Is it because of your ex-boyfriend?"

Minho was caught off guard. His mind was reeling with a rush of emotion and his hands felt impossibly heavy. Everything seemed too much.

"We never actually broke up," he eventually muttered.

"What? You're dating someone?! You let me think this whole time you liked me?! That you were single?!"

"No, Jisung I didn't-"

"Oh my god."

"Jisung, we're not together."

"What does that even mean! What do you mean we're not together!"

"No, that's not what I-"

"Do you even like me?! I wasn't sure. But then you kissed me and you – UGH!"

"No, I promise. I do like you. A lot. But..."

Jisung's head whipped up at his hesitation and his eyes, Minho had never seen his eyes so serious or so sad. "...but you love someone else."

And the words died on the tip of his tongued. He couldn't say what Jisung needed to hear. He couldn't tell him that he wasn't still in love. That he didn't miss Daniel every single goddamn day.

"This is Bullshit!" Jisung yelled storming out.

"Jisung. Let me-"

"No, Minho! I'm done!" he threw out. "Just- Just don't talk to me again." And he disappeared into the night.

\---

"Why aren't you guys talking?"

Minho sighed heavily at the other. He kept his shoulders square as he put the animals away for the night, not turning around.

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Jinnie-"

"No. Don't you 'Jinnie' me. I want an answer. Seungmin says he's bad. And Seungmin doesn't even care!"

"It's not a big deal."

"Big deal, my ass, Minho! What did you do to him?!"

"Look it's none of your-"

"B.S. it's not my business!"

\--- 4 days prior

It was suffocating: standing outside the university music studio, before the closed door, and simply trying to remember to breath. He never thought he'd ever be that terrified. But he knew he had to say something, anything, and perhaps he didn't know what, but he needed to see him, to explain. So he knocked. And he waited. And he breathed.

"Jisung-" he whispered when the door swung open revealing a very sleep deprived looking boy.

And then the door slammed in his face without another word.

\---

"Maybe if you stopping asking me every goddamn day, I'd feel more inclined to tell you," Minho continued ranting at the other.

"Well, maybe if you actually ever told me anything I wouldn't have to keep asking," Hyunjin yelled back.

"You don't just get a reprieve because Daniel-"

"I kissed him!"

Hyunjin froze. "You?"

Minho nodded silently.

"And Jisung?"

He nodded again.

"Kissed?"

"Yes, Hyunjin. I kissed him and I left."

They stood quiet for a moment. Minho turned back around to finish closing down the vet for the night.

"How are you going to fix it?"

Minho said nothing.

"You can't be serious. You are going to fix it aren't you?"

"Why would I?"

"It's obvious, you're in love with him and even if you weren't you know he doesn't deserve not having an answer."

Minho's breath caught. "I don't even think he'd want to hear my voice."

"I don't care."

"Hyunjin I can't just-"

"No! I don't care! You need to move on, Minho! And you certainly can't ever do it if you can't even apologize to Jisung."

"He doesn't want to see me..."

"Have you even tried?"

"I did. I..."

No. No he hadn't really. But he couldn't just tell Hyunjin he was afraid, that for once in his life he was too much of a coward to chase something that might hurt him. That wasn't him. Or it didn't used to be. But now, he was so unsure of who he really was anymore. And the silence was enough of an answer that Hyunjin called Felix and ask where he was right then and there before passing the information to Minho and giving him a swift kick out the door.

Which was how Minho ended sitting on a bench outside an old familiar building, in the waning hours of the day, watching out for a fluff of messy blonde hair and a hoodie. When he stepped outside, Minho's heart stopped. Jisung stood there with a pout heavy on his features, looking so small and fragile that Minho felt compelled to run to him. But he didn't.

"Jisung," he shouted across the path towards the other.

The other turned around in alarm, clocked him, and immediately broke into a sprint.

"Jisung stop!" Minho tried again, now chasing him around the side of the arts building.

Jisung looked over his shoulder with a scowl and started to run faster, his bookbag jostling violently on his back.

"Please just slow down," Minho panted.

The boy continued toward the road where the light was blaring red, a barrage of cars flowing by. Jisung nearly leapt into the street before Minho grabbed him around the waist, pulling his body onto the sidewalk.

"No!" Jisung yelled. "Stop! Just leave me alone!"

"What are you doing just throwing yourself in front of cars?!" Minho yelled back, arms still securely around the boys waist.

"Trying to get away from you," he retorted.

Minho sighed. "Jisung, I'm sorry I yelled, but you can't do that."

"I wouldn't have to if you just left me alone like I asked."

Minho let go of him and stepped away, looking down at his feet on the pavement. "I wanted to apologize."

Jisung scoffed but he didn't immediately run which Minho half expected him to do.

"You never let me explain. About that night."

"What night? The one where you kissed me and then dumped me? That night?"

"Yes. I-"

"I don't want your apology," Jisung gritted out, moving to walk away.

Minho reached out suddenly and wound his hand around Jisung's arm. "No. Please. Please just let me talk to you."

Jisung stood there silently, waiting. Minho's eyes looked everywhere but at his face, hand still gripping the other's arm tightly.

"I like you. I wasn't lying about that. And I wanted to kiss you. I had wanting to since the first day I saw you. I just... I haven't been myself lately and I'm sorry you had to get caught up in that because I'm... I'm not what you deserve, Jisung. You deserve so much better than me."

He felt Jisung's muscles relax under his fingers.

"Are you still in love with him? With Daniel?"

"I'm getting over it."

Jisung nodded, but his eyes welled with tears and Minho's hand instinctually reached out to wipe them away.

"I want you to meet him," he blurted.

"Meet him?!" Jisung whipped his face away. "Why would I want to meet him?!"

"Trust me."

"Does he know that we kissed?" Jisung whispered.

"No. I haven't told him yet."

"This sounds like a very bad idea."

"I owe it to you. Let me show you this one thing and then you're free to walk away. To find someone better and to be happy. But I'm so selfish I can't give up on you yet. So please, Sungie." 

Jisung swallowed tickly, the hesitation palpable. But he took his hand and threaded their fingers together.

"Ok. Let's go."


	8. A Memory

They walked toward a church, Jisung was silent the whole way, chewing his lower lip nervously. He registered the gentle circles of Minho's thumb on the back of his hand, subconsciously calming him but said nothing. He watched with confusion as Minho wandered on pure memory through the building and the churchyard. He felt as if he was intruding on something too private that he just let Minho guide him gingerly through the grass and the stone, expertly meandering the maze of small overgrowth paths before he eventually stilled before a gravestone. There was a patch of visibly new grass sitting over the dirt before them and a small bouquet of flowers wilting away on top.

"Hey," Minho said softly, starring at the ground, letting go of Jisung's hand finally.

The younger simply stood there, staring at Minho as he spoke, the most sweet and gentle voice he had ever heard come from him.

"I haven't been in a while. I'm sorry," Minho paused looking over to a very awkward and a very confused looking Jisung. "I brought someone."

"Wha-?" Jisung started to ask but Minho stopped him, gaze still drawn on the grass and the unmarked stone.

"I really like him," Minho spoke, and it took him a second to realize Minho was talking to the stone and not to him.

"He's sweet and funny and talented. I found him again and again and I thought maybe... well, I don't know. And he's just so beautiful," Minho said eventually letting his gaze wander to Jisung's. "And he makes me feel special. He makes me feel human again."

"Minho, I-"

"Jisung," he said looking now with tears welling in his eyes, reaching out for Jisung's hand again. "I'd like you to meet, Daniel."

The younger boy just stood and stared at him and then towards the ground.

"Jisung, I loved him. I loved him with my whole heart."

Jisung's lip wavered as he stared at the stone before him and then at Minho's side profile. The other's gaze was fixed before him with a faint smile, the most gentle curve of lips gracing his face.

"He was sick for a long time. And I was so scared. He was the first person that ever really loved me, you know. My parents, they gave up on me. But he... he never did. And then I met you, and I thought I found someone to believe in me again."

"I'm so sorry."

"I do miss him... but I said goodbye long before he actually left. It's just – I'm trying to move on. But it's hard, you know?"

"I'm so stupid," Jisung said putting his head in his hands. "I was mad at you!"

The poor boy's body crumbled to the ground in front of the grave, his legs giving way as his mind caught up to him and a sense of dread overcame his small, battered heart.

"It's ok," Minho's soft voice floated over him as he knelt, placing a hand on the others back in a soothing gesture.

"Jisung."

"No, Minho," he sobbed. "I was mad at you. Really mad at you. Because I thought..."

"Because you thought I was in love with someone else," Minho finished for him.

Jisung looked up and Minho hated how often he has seen the other cry, how often he had caused the tears to fall from his face. But he was there for the first time to fix it. And so he reached out to hold him with the intention of never letting go.

"It's ok, Sungie."

"Why didn't you tell me?!" the other asked him frantically, tears spilling.

"I didn't know how."

"What do you mean you didn't know how?" he said lightly punching his fists against the chest which held him. "I was so confused and hurt."

He looked up with a trembling lip and what he said next had Minho's blood running cold in shame. "I thought I wasn't good enough for you."

"No," Minho coaxed. "No. No. No. It was me. It is me," he said petting the other's hair. "I don't think I'll ever be good enough for you."

"Thank you."

"Hmm?"

"For telling me."

Minho smiled. "You don't have to thank me, Sungie."

"You idiot," Jisung cried into his neck. "You could have just told me."

"Jisung, just do me a favour and please don't leave me again."

"I promise," Jisung mumbled, throwing his arms around the older, and gripping him tightly. "I promise I'll never leave you."

They sat kneeled on the grass in front of the stone for a while simply holding each other. Jisung's knuckles ran white in the intensity he held on the boy in front of him.

"Tell me about your home," Jisung prompted.

He laughed dryly. "Isn't it hard to call it mine when it hasn't been for so long?"

"If you love it, I think it will always be yours."

"I wish it were that easy. I don't think the land would accept me. I don't think it'd even recognize my steps."

Jisung hummed in response.

"I think I made a new home when I met him which is why it hurt so much when I lost that one too. But I learned to forget the first one over time and I guess I've been waiting."

"Would you ever go home again? Have you?"

Minho looked at him, tracing the curve of his jaw and the fluff of his hair where it fell over his wide, innocent eyes slightly. He saw the unguarded sincerity pooling in the other's face and smiled. "I think I am home. At least now I am."

"Minho..." Jisung started to say softly. "What happens now?"

"What do you mean?"

"What are we?"

"I – I don't know," he answered honestly.

Jisung shuddered and looked down at his hand before Minho grabbed his chin and cradled the other's cheeks in the palms of his hands as if they were they most precious thing in the world.

"I don't know," he said again, staring into his eyes. "But all I do know is that you are, by far, the most magical part of being alive."


	9. Old Fears

Minho was laying on Seungmin and Hyunjin’s couch, the latter of which was not currently in the dorm, having rushed off about an hour ago to find Jeongin who was supposed to meet them both at the library to study, Minho having promised the youngest he would help the other pass his intro economics course. Jeongin had not come knocking on their door at the appointed time, nor 10 minutes, nor 20. And so Hyunjin, grumbled and all but pushed out to the door by a worried Seungmin, had taken off, jacket hanging off his shoulders and shoe laces untied. Minho and Seungmin were watching t.v. Well, the t.v. was playing but neither of them were paying even a lick of attention to it, both engrossed in their phones.  
  
Just then, Minho’s phone rang, Thinking ‘Bout You blaring out from the tiny device in his hands.  
  
“Jinnie? Why are you- wait! Jinnie what are you-”  
  
Minho dropped the phone from his hand a second later. It bounced on the couch cushion and laid still. Seungmin glanced over and saw Minho all but hyperventilating: the elder’s eyes wide in fear and his chest heaving.  
  
“Minho, are you okay?”  
  
He looked over at Seungmin robotically. “Jisung’s in the hospital,” he said softly.  
  
“Oh my god! Is he okay? What did he do this time?”  
  
“Jisung is in the hospital,” Minho repeated under his breathe. “Jisung is…”  
  
The frantic stillness of nostalgia and the paranoid frenzy of trauma coincided in a wicked sinful thing which slithered and entrapped a weary mind, only to grant the refuge of a halted breath and a quieted mind. Perhaps battling gentle things was the hardest: soft memories smoothed by time and so smooth one could barely grasp them. They piled themselves in throats and stuck deep in one’s windpipes until there came a moment, in the beautiful brevity of pain, that it felt right to succumb to it. In the moment of heavy clarity, so heavy it weighed as much as a hundred thousand suns, it became easier to crumple than to carry, and easier to break than to bow. Because, of course, all was still. And still so shall they also be.  
  
“Minho? Minho!” Seungmin shouted, reaching out for the elder.  
  
Minho sat still on the couch, eyes squeezed tight and tears pouring out. He hadn’t realized he was shaking until Seungmin grabbed his shoulders to steady him.  
  
“Minho, breathe!” Seungmin screamed.  
  
And, had it not been for the foolish whims of a coquettish creature burning under the solemn sun, it is most likely this waging war would have wrought a different end. But alas, a heart was grasped, already too tightly to let go. So you see, it had fallen once before, and still remained, so very much, enraptured. And perhaps it was also this feeling, this utter despair, which awoke something that had been lying dormant for quite some time. The halls echoed under heavy steps, thundering through the corridors and echoing against the tiles. They pounded like a war drum, seeking courage on its way to slaughter. But maybe, just maybe, what awaited was not what they expected at all.  
  
“Minho, calm down. What happened? What did Hyunjin say?”  
  
But, Minho was not listening. As soon as he had gotten a grip of himself, he had rocketed himself off the sofa in a storm of limbs and was through the door before Seungmin could even process what was going on. The world blurred by him and without even knowing how long it had taken or how he had gotten there, the hospital came into view.  
  
Minho threw the door to room 307 open with a bang. The noise falling dead upon his ears, his eyes trained in one thing, and one thing only. He thought to himself, that had he gone blind just now, he would not mind. For what he was met with was the most precious sight he would ever see. A boy with soft hair and a golden smile, laughing along to his friends and simply shining all the light Minho could ever need in his life.  
  
Chan and Felix flinched and looked up at the sound of the door ricocheting off the wall as it bounced from the force of its opening. Minho’s eyes welled with tears and he barely made it to the hospital bed before he collapsed with sobs that shook his body.  
  
“What’s-” Felix started to ask before Chan held a hand up to his lips. The elder grabbed his hand and led him from the room silently, looking fondly at Jisung as he pet Minho’s hair.  
  
“Jisung! Sungie. Oh my god, you’re alright!” Minho sobbed into the sheets, clutching Jisung’s middle with desperate fingers.  
  
“Of course, I’m alright. It’s just a small fracture. Didn’t Hyunjin tell you?”  
  
Minho raised his head and what Jisung was met with was something between pure hope and utter despair.  
  
“I didn’t let him get that far,” the elder sobbed. “I- I just heard you were in the hospital and – and I couldn’t stop thinking… It reminded me of-”  
  
“Oh, Minho,” Jisung breathed out thickly, wrapping his arms around the other as best as he could and cradling his head into his chest. “I didn’t even think-”  
  
“I thought I lost you. I thought it would be like before and I couldn’t just sit there,” Minho’s crying gentle settled, and he reached a hand toward the younger’s face. “What the hell would I do without you?”  
  
“I’m not Daniel.”  
  
“I know and I could never expect you to be.”  
  
“Did you love him?” Jisung asked with nothing other than sincerity, fingers still combing slowly through Minho’s hair in the most gentle motion.  
  
Minho paused, a wave of emotions pouring through his mind before they leaked out again, coaxed by the gentle sweep of Jisung’s fingertips.  
  
“I never told him.”  
  
“Do you love me?”  
  
Minho moved forward and looked into Jisung’s eyes. “I’ll never stop telling you I do.”  
  
“And I know I make you crazy,” Minho sighed, not daring to look up from their desperately clasped hands, sitting on the stark white bed. “And sad and angry and lonely and confused, but-”  
  
“Minho,” Jisung interpreted in the tenderest voice, smiling soft easy. “You make me feel many things… but most of all loved. I want you to break my silences and you to catch me when I fall. I want to spend all my fragile moments with you.”  
  
“Jisung, I love you so goddamn much that my heat hurts. My days are only happy when I spend them with you.”  
  
Jisung smiled and Minho melted. "Then let's spend them all together."

**Author's Note:**

> Should I put this Minsung arch into a larger University AU of Skz? Thoughts? Would people read it? Do people even read this?


End file.
